


Recognitions and Realisations

by Misskiku



Series: Bederia Goodness [1]
Category: Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-06
Updated: 2020-02-06
Packaged: 2021-02-27 22:55:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,521
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22583653
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Misskiku/pseuds/Misskiku
Summary: Takes place during the post-game story.Gloria sees the power spot surge at the Ballonlea Gym and rushes over there without a thought.Bede doesn't expect to see her, let alone have her hug him so suddenly, after dealing with the rogue dynamaxed pokemon.Confusion and fluff follows.
Relationships: Beet | Bede/Yuuri | Gloria
Series: Bederia Goodness [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1630534
Comments: 5
Kudos: 147





	Recognitions and Realisations

Gloria's heart froze at the power spot detector readings. There was a surge at Ballonlea. A spike at the Fairy Gym. Where Bede was. 

"Bede…!" Gloria gasped, causing Hop and Piers to glance back at her. Without thinking, without explaining herself, Gloria called out her Corviknight and leapt onto it's back. 

"Hold on - Gloria?!" Hop cried as Gloria took to the sky in a flash, a blur of dark wings shooting skyward. 

She didn't care about the rules. About taking a sky taxi, about the laws she was breaking by clinging desperately to the back of her own pokemon as she flew over Galar. There was a rampaging dynamaxed pokemon at Ballonlea's Gym. Bede's Gym. 

There was no time to waste. 

-

Bede huffed, heading into the lobby of his Gym from the stadium and shaking his head. Since when was it the duty of a gym leader to defeat stray dynamaxed pokemon in their own stadium? The whole debacle had been a waste of his precious time and effort. Hadn't even been a challenge. A few precise hits of Iron Head from his Mawile had the giant Hatterene reverting into its normal form in no time. 

And now he had a trashed stadium to deal with. 

Bede tsked, preparing himself to head back in there to begin the tedious cleanup process when the automatic doors to the Gym opened. He stifled a huff in his throat, ready to explain that the Gym was closed, when a familiar voice called his name. A voice that made his heart skip. 

"Bede!" 

He caught a flash of pink. A blur of motion before a body slammed into his, arms wrapping tight around his neck. A rush of heat surged through his body. Coursed right to his face as Gloria hugged him close. Tight. Her body pulled flush against him. 

"Wh-Wh-What are you doing?!" Bede yelped in horrified indignation, his arms flailing at his sides in the open air. Stuck between pushing her away and pulling her closer. Surrendering to her hug. 

No, he was not- he was not thinking of hugging her back. 

"G-Get off me!" Bede squawked. He pushed her shoulders away and she peeled off him, stepping back with giddy relief on her face. 

Gloria gave an embarrassed laugh. "Sorry! It's just… you're okay! You're not hurt!" She cased him up and down quickly with her eyes. "When I saw the power spot readings, I got so worried I came over here without thinking." 

Bede scoffed, folding his arms and forcing the remaining tingle of heat off his cheeks. "You think I, the elite Fairy-type Gym Leader, would have any kind of trouble?" The concern lingering in her eyes had his chest warm strangely. "Please… please don't tell me you came here to help?" 

Did she really think him that weak? 

Her cheeks coloured and a weight dropped in Bede's stomach. She really thought that… 

"First of all, you're a bit late to be of any use," Bede continued, "and second, I didn't need any help." 

"Right. Of course." Gloria nodded, breathing a nervous laugh. "You'd have no trouble with a dynamaxed pokemon." 

Realising how stupid she must have looked, rushing over here in a flustered panic, made her flush. 

"It's just… with those two weirdos and them stealing all the wishing stars, I-I didn't know if they were going to dynamax more pokemon this time or…" She was rambling. 

"Hold on. Who stole the wishing stars?" 

Gloria stiffened. She shouldn't have mentioned that. Bede's gaze hardened. A riot of emotions swirled behind his eyes, dampening the light she had only recently come to notice. 

"Um…" she shot her eyes away. Bede stepped closer. 

"Explain yourself. Now." He stepped into her personal space, giving her no option but to look at him. Her cheeks coloured a rosy pink, her eyes flickering across his face, his smooth porcelain features as if taking it all in at once. It made that strange feeling flutter in his stomach again. 

Why was she looking at him like that? 

"Stop gawking at me and explain yourself. Who stole the wishing stars?" He wouldn't step back. Wouldn't give in, wouldn't back away and let her win. He wasn't going to give up that easily, even with the fluttering in his belly spreading to his lungs. 

"They… um… these two guys stole them from Sonia. They used her assistant. Their names are… uh, Sordward and Shielbert, I think." 

Bede's glare became incredulous. 

"I'm serious!" Gloria huffed. "They've been forcing wishing stars on pokemon and making them dynamax against their will. We've been following the power spot readings in order to track them." 

Bede scowled at the wall behind Gloria. "And they took the wishing stars? All of them?" 

"Yeah…" Gloria nodded slowly. She stepped back and pulled out her Rotom phone, bringing up the power spot locations again. "I guess if everything's been handled here then I should-" 

"Oh, no you don't. You're not getting away that easily. I challenge you to a battle!" 

Gloria balked at him. "What? Now?" 

Determination hardened in Bede's eyes. "That's right! My whole life has been determined by other people for so long, even Oleana tricked and manipulated me… From now on, only I decide how I want to live!" 

Gloria swallowed, heart fluttering. He always spoke like that, so dramatic and eloquent and forceful. His stunning violet eyes levelled on hers. 

"And I think what I should do now is have a battle with you, Gloria! Your only option is to accept!" 

The fire in his eyes sparked a competitive blaze inside her. "You're on!" She drew out a Pokeball, expanded it in her hand. A smile cocked her lips. 

Bede smiled in return. "My Pokemon and I have risen from the ashes… I'll grant you a brief glimpse at how amazing we've become!" 

Pokeballs flew as the two sent out their first Pokemon. Bede's Mawile against Gloria's Cinderace. She grinned at the obvious type advantage she had. 

"My days as a Gym Leader have made me stronger than you," Bede said. Despite facing down her Fire type, the confidence in his eyes didn't waver. "You just might be the strongest Champion in Galarian history… so I'll carve my name into Galar's history too - by defeating you!" 

Gloria grinned. "I'm not going down that easily! Cinderace - use Pyro Ball!" 

"Dodge it!" 

Mawile couldn't scramble fast enough out of the path of the blazing Pyro Ball. One scorching hit and Mawile fainted. Bede tsked but didn't flinch, sending out his Gardevoir. 

"Again, Pyro Ball!" 

Bede's Gardevoir spun out of the way, graceful as a dancer as the fireball streaked past. 

"Future sight!"

The Gardevoir prepared a psychic attack, leaving her open for another shot of a Pyro Ball. It struck head on, Gardevoir fainting with a cry. 

Bede stiffened and drew out his Rapidash without a word. His Rapidash was faster than her Cinderace, striking with a flurry of Psycho Cuts. Gloria's Cinderace took them head on, bracing with his arms before the Future Sight attack hit. 

"Cinderace!" 

The fire rabbit collapsed to his knees and fainted. Gloria recalled Cinderace and grit her teeth. Bede had gotten stronger but she wasn't done yet. 

"Go, Corviknight!" 

Bede scowled at the second type advantage she had over him. Her damned Corviknight and it's steel wing. 

But he had his Rapidash and her speed. He used the Corviknight's lack of accuracy with it's attacks to his advantage, his Rapidash galloping circles around the steel bird. 

"Oh, come on!" Gloria cried as the third Steel Wing missed. "Fine then - use Brave Bird!" 

"Dodge it!" 

Corviknight came in hard and fast, finally slamming into its target and knocking the Rapidash out cold.

"Yes!" Gloria pumped her fists and Bede stole his eyes away from that cute habit of hers and sent out his Hatterene. Now wasn't the time to get distracted. 

Not that she was distracting in any way, shape, or form. 

At all. 

Gloria grinned at Bede's final pokemon. His Hatterene was powerful, yes, but it was also slower than her Corviknight. This battle was as good as over. 

"Steel wing!" 

The corner of Bede's mouth pulled up and Gloria realised too late he had planned on that. On her confidence. 

Her overconfidence. 

"Mystical fire!"

"No!"

Gloria's Corviknight flew head on into the blaze of fire that roared out from Bede's Hatterene. The fire was blinding, an explosion of light filling the lobby until it faded, revealing Gloria's Corviknight fainted on the floor. 

The smirk on Bede's face made Gloria flush in embarrassment. She recalled her fainted pokemon and looked through her remaining team. With that Fire move both her Froslass and Tsareena were at a disadvantage. And her Haxorus was out of the question. 

Gloria snatched her Gyarados' Pokeball and sent it out. She'd have to do with this. 

Bede still had that smirk on his face. That smug grin he always wore during battle. Nowadays though, it accompanied a sparkle in his eyes. 

Had he changed up his Hatterene's moveset just to counter her pokemon? Gloria threw that thought away. All steel types were weak to fire - any Fairy-type trainer would have a way to counter them. Especially Bede. 

"Gyarados - use Hydropump!" It was time to hit hard. 

The blast of water buffeted the Hatterene but it stood strong. For a moment, Gloria almost thought she saw a smirk on the Hatterene's face that matched Bede's. 

"Use Psychic!" 

Enough special attack moves, then, Gloria thought as her Gyarados braced through the Psychic. "Aqua Tail!" 

With a crash of Gyarados' heavy tail, Bede's Hatterene shuddered and fainted. 

The battle was over. 

Gloria breathed a sigh of relief before pumping her fists in celebration. "Yes! We did it!" She praised her Gyarados before recalling him into his Pokeball. 

Bede huffed as he recalled his Hatterene and muttered, "there must be some mistake… I mean, I'm the one who's the Gym Leader!" 

Gloria grin softened as she approached Bede, finding the words to say in her mouth to thank him for the battle. Before she could say anything, though, Bede stuck out his hand. 

"Thanks for the battle," he said quietly, taking Gloria's hand in a quick handshake before turning away. "I guess… I can now accept you as Champion." 

If it wasn't Bede who was speaking, Gloria would've thought she'd heard a slight tremble in his voice. 

"It's painful to admit, but I've come to understand a few of my weaknesses." Bede turned back to her, that determined glimmer in his eyes shining bright again. "But I'll keep getting stronger. I'll reach the pinnacle of what Fairy types can do." 

Gloria smiled. "I look forward to it!" 

Bede tore his eyes away from her smile, mouth opening to speak when the Gym doors opened again and Hop and Piers strode in. 

"What are you doing here?" Bede scowled. "You're much too late to be of any use." 

"We're not here for you," Hop countered, powering over to Gloria. "Gloria! What were you thinking, taking off on your Corviknight like that? What if something had happened or you'd been caught?" 

Gloria flushed darkly as she felt Bede's eyes fall on her. 

"You flew on your own Corviknight?" Bede asked, voice incredulous. "What on earth caused you to do something so foolishly reckless? Do you have no concept of self preservation?" 

"Hey! It's your fault she flew here like that!" 

Bede turned his scowl onto Hop again. "You're blaming me for the Champion's recklessness? Last I checked she was her own person." 

"H-Hop!" Gloria squeaked. 

"You're so ungrateful! She did that because she was worried about your pompous mug, though I can't see why when you're always trying to prove you're better than everyone else!" 

"All right, that's enough kids," Piers said in a bored tone, stepping between Hop and Bede. 

"I'm not a kid," Hop argued. 

Bede, however, turned his gaze to Gloria. That strange fluttering in his belly returned, warming at the dusting of pink on her cheeks. 

"You… you did something so damnably foolish because of me?" 

His heart thumped an unsettled beat. 

"I-I was worried about you," Gloria muttered. "Who knows if those two weirdos were going to show up here and cause more chaos…" 

"Bit late for that," Hop said. "There's three more Gyms with surging power spot readings, remember?" 

Gloria sighed pensively and took out her Rotom phone. She tried not to stiffen as Bede leant over her shoulder to see as well. "They're at Stow-on-Side, Circhester and Hammerlocke. Just how many pokemon are they going to dynamax?" 

"We don't have time to waste! Let's go find those two weirdos and take back the shield!" Hop cried, whirling on his feet to leave. 

Gloria went to follow when Bede caught her wrist. "Hold on." 

Gloria stilled, meeting Bede's gaze as Hop and Piers left the Gym to call them a sky taxi. Bede's hand was warm around her wrist. 

"What is it?"

He stood close. There was something in his eyes she couldn't place. He released her wrist as quickly as he had taken it, holding out a league card to her. 

"Here," he said stiffly, shoving the card at her. "Since you're the Champion and all… if anything ever happens, I suppose you could call on me." 

Gloria took the card and flipped it over in her hand. "This is…" 

Bede's rare league card. Him wearing his Fairy Gym uniform, eyes sparkling as they did when he battled. It was signed neatly in the corner with his name. 

Gloria glanced up to meet Bede's eyes and he stole his away. 

"They printed too many of them," Bede said hurriedly. He wasn't looking at her, a faint dusting of rose on his cheeks. "May as well give you one." 

Gloria's heart warmed. "Thanks, Bede." She slipped her bag off her shoulder and dug around for a moment before producing a card of her own. "You can have mine, then!" 

Bede took it from her, not even glancing at the card, and nodded silently. 

"I've got to go but I guess I'll see you around if I ever need anything!" Gloria gave him a brisk wave and trotted away. 

Bede curtly waved the moment she was already gone and let out a breathless sigh. He turned the card she'd given him over in his fingers and his breath caught. 

It was Gloria's rare league card of course, but that wasn't what stunned him. She was wearing her Champion's gear, the photo framed on her face as she wore that determined smile of hers, brown hair curled lusciously down her shoulders. Her signature adjourned the bottom half of the card, a tiny heart drawn beside it. 

Bede snatched the card away and shoved it deep into his pocket. It was just a spare. Unlike the card he had given her, this had to be one she had lying around in her bag. The heart meant nothing.

Nothing at all. 

And yet the card felt like it burned his skin through his pockets. 

He wasn't going to be able to forget it for a long time.

**Author's Note:**

> Ahhh i love Bede so much


End file.
